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Maximizing ROI in Development Programs

People development, some thoughts

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slimlambert
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13 views6 pages

Maximizing ROI in Development Programs

People development, some thoughts

Uploaded by

slimlambert
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Development programs.

E.g. leadership development.

How do you maximize the ROI of development and training initiatives?

A few thoughts.

The premise is that growth, whether in capabilities or character, should be


tailored to the individual, while also aligned to the requirements of their
team or organization, and ideally, fostered through on-the-job experiences.
How can you achieve this?

 (have a) clear purpose:


Do you want to build certain capabilities at an acceptable level, or, move
capabilities form good to great?

 (have a clear) clear ROI target: Is the initiative ....


Business enabling. i.e. Capabilities needed for an organizational capability
required for a must wins (e.g. anew business line, a culture, a value
proposition, a mindset, a business strategy).

Role greatness enabling. i.e. Capabilities required to achieve the


“Greatness Profile” of a role(s).

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Leadership levels enabling. i.e. Capabilities required by a hierarchical
level (e.g. defined in the leadership pipeline model, and often advocating
that success factors at one level become failure factors at the next level).

Meta capabilities enabling (e.g. individual efficiency, productivity,


capabilities that are the systemic root cause/common denominators/”20-80”
of other skills).

Execution enabling. i.e. Capabilities identified as Gaps in a certain


population, for example as part of a succession/engagement management
plan, an operational execution plan, or a change management plan.

 (adopt a few) Principles with regards to the content of the


development programs.
Target the learners´ passion (i.e. Ownership, Desire and Beliefs). Chances
are that the rest will follow or will require less efforts.

Capitalize on people’s need to avoid cognitive dissonance, as a tool to


pull them into behaving differently.

Include the un-learning of models / mindsets / assumptions / paradigms.

Define the skills as a process, having steps for which the content needs to
be adapted to the context. For example, the people side of change process
or the process for building trust.

Differentiate the things required to reach the goal of the skills as opposed to
those required to avoid failing to do so. For example, Herzberg model of
motivation that differentiates increasing motivation vs avoid demotivation,
and that the things enabling these two separate goals are of a different
nature.

Customize. Each participant should have a specific developmental goal/plan


before the program and one after the program.

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Ensure the transferability into the real world. For example, use on-the job
assignments during the program. Involve stakeholders in the pre-program
360 degrees/assessment. Involve stakeholders in the post program action
plan design.

 Set shared expectations regarding on-the-job assignments, that


are part of the development program.

For example, when scoping the assignment, define KPIs of its delivery and of
the expected learning.

Define what makes a task developmental. For example, it should be one or


several of the following: Be task that is a success factor or a failure factor,
unique or particularly crucial, for the performance in the targeted RGP™; Be
about leading or tackling in the organizational gray-zones; Be a high-stakes
challenge; Be a trigger for building insights.

 Maximize the impact and learning of on-the-job action-based


learning.

Avoid that it become an add-on to doing the expected work. Instead, use
it as a means of achieving what is already defined as must wins.

Be ambitious and mission-critical. E.g. avoid the “conduct a study”


scenario, allow for real amount of decision-making authority, do not exceed
six-month, allow for “SWAT teams” / “Hot groups” that have the authority
and ability to move quickly within the organization to find new opportunities
and solve problems.

Incorporate an assessment and a feedback loop. Consequently,


structure time for personal reflection / feedback.

Be prudent in providing support. Indeed, figuring-out learning needs and


how to satisfy them is part of the developmental journey and the

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responsibility of participants. Identify individual derailment risk to
monitor/support during the program.

o “Link the outputs to “OE” and “OD”.


One of the outputs of any developmental program should be a
recommendation, by the participants and the stakeholders, about
organizational effectiveness.

 Measure impact. Measure “Kirkpatrick levels 3 and 4”*, since they


are the best indicators of ROI and implicitly translate levels 1 and 2.

*(Did a transfer of learning to the job happen? To what extent participants


are applying what they learned to their work. Can they do what they were
trained to do? Was there an impact on business results? Are participants
using what they learned, and is it making a difference?)

 (build a) “favorable” context, as part of the regular work


environment:
Institutionalize the disciplined and wide use of mentoring and of 360
degrees feedback.

Institutionalize the assessment of team’s functioning.

Ensure that all excel at “meta / core” capabilities such as giving and
receiving feedback, making it easy to give feedback,

Ensure that all excel at the ability to learn.

Train managers to be able to alternate between / use both, solution-using


focus or problem-solving focus, when tackling situations.

Train managers to think like coaches.

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Encourage managers to be comfortable with others having the answers
that they do not have.

Have stand-alone training modules, for the “knowledge” part of different


abilities. Classroom training can be used, but toolkits / books / online
modules are often sufficient.

Institutionalize 1 hour “workshops” focused on a specific ability or skill


(e.g. listen, convince, etc.).

Have dedicated actions aimed at facilitating networking, rather than


rely on development programs for this.

Use “delegation scorecard” that tracks the tasks delegated for


developmental reasons.

Use “Shadow cabinets”, at different levels of the organization. They are 1-


3 days workshops, where the sponsor/internal client is a regular participant,
and during which participants make key business decisions (prior to regularly
scheduled management team meeting that will tackle the decision).

Use “Extended leadership teams”, at different levels of the organization.


These teams are composed of identified successors, who are working as a
team to solve operational issues related to their current or future role.

Redefine the acronym SMART, applicable to objectives and tasks, should


be more than just about ensuring the clarity / precision. SMART should stand
for: Specific (i.e. Time-bound, Measurable ….); Meaningful (i.e. triggers as
strong desire for the objective in the role holder and his/her stakeholders,
and it is framed positively -i.e. what you want to achieve, not what you want
to avoid); Ambitious (i.e. about Greatness in the role); Relevant (Achievable,
Realistic, about Greatness in the role); Team focused (requires the
involvement of a team and/or contributes to the well-functioning of a team).

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Institutionalize peer-to-peer coaching events, to collaboratively resolve
business and leadership challenges that are real-life must-wins. For example:
“Premortem”, “After action reviews”, “Open space”, “Knowledge cafés”,
“Future search”, “Brainwalking”, “Cafezhino”, “Fishbowl”, “Hotgroup”.

Have a roadmap to build a feedback prone culture.

Institutionalize the evaluation of meeting by participants.

Institutionalize rotations and “role swapping” programs.

Slim Lambert

Common questions

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Peer-to-peer coaching events can address real-life business challenges by facilitating collaborative problem-solving among participants facing similar issues. Effective formats include "Premortem," "After action reviews," "Open space," and "Knowledge cafés," which provide platforms for exchanging insights and developing actionable strategies in a supportive, team-based setting. These formats encourage diverse perspectives and collective brainstorming, leading to innovative solutions .

Kirkpatrick Levels 3 and 4 are significant because they provide the most reliable indicators of ROI for development programs, measuring the actual transfer of learning to the job and the impact on business results. Level 3 assesses the degree to which participants apply what they learned in their roles, while Level 4 evaluates the overall business impact, ensuring that learning translates into tangible, positive changes in organizational performance .

Redefining the SMART framework enhances the effectiveness of development objectives by incorporating elements beyond mere specificity and measurability. The redefined elements include 'Meaningful,' which emphasizes objectives that inspire strong desire and have a positive framing, 'Ambitious,' aiming for greatness within the role, 'Relevant,' ensuring goals are realistic and achievable, and 'Team-focused,' which requires team involvement for effective execution. This holistic approach ensures objectives drive meaningful change and improvement in performance .

"Shadow cabinets" are crucial in developmental programs as they provide practical, decision-making experience in simulated management settings. These workshops involve participants working alongside internal clients to make key business decisions, fostering leadership capabilities by mimicking real management scenarios. They encourage strategic thinking, enhance problem-solving skills, and build confidence in decision-making, thus directly contributing to leadership development .

Having clear ROI targets is crucial for development programs because it ensures that the investment in training and development directly supports business objectives, such as building required capabilities for a new business line or enhancing role-specific greatness. These targets should be aligned with organizational goals to foster business enabling, role greatness enabling, and execution enabling capabilities, significantly boosting organizational effectiveness and individual performance .

Cognitive dissonance can act as a motivational tool in capability development by encouraging individuals to align their behavior with desired outcomes. Training programs can leverage cognitive dissonance by capitalizing on participants' desires to avoid it, thereby motivating them to change their behavior and align it with the training objectives. This can involve un-learning outdated models or assumptions and adopting new mindsets consistent with the desired skills .

Leadership development programs can be tailored to individual needs by creating specific developmental goals for each participant before and after the program, ensuring these align with organizational objectives. Programs should target learners' passion, leverage cognitive dissonance, and include customizable elements that relate to role-specific greatness or business enabling capabilities, thereby aligning individual development with team and organizational goals .

To foster a feedback-prone culture, organizations can institutionalize mentoring, 360-degree feedback, and regular functional team assessments. Training managers to think like coaches and facilitating workshop-focused skill sessions also encourage a culture of open feedback. This environment is crucial for capability development because it supports continuous learning and improvement, enabling individuals to refine skills and address potential derailment risks promptly .

Organizations can ensure skill transferability by incorporating on-the-job assignments during training, involving stakeholders in pre- and post-program assessments, and aligning assignments with real workplace expectations. Setting clear KPIs for these assignments and involving relevant stakeholders in designing action plans helps translate learning into performance improvements in the actual work environment .

On-the-job assignments can contribute significantly to leadership development by providing real-world experience that reinforces learning. These assignments should be designed as success or failure factors, encompass high-stakes challenges, and act as triggers for building insights. They should not just add to the workload but align with mission-critical objectives, allowing participants to exercise real decision-making authority within defined time constraints to maximize impact .

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